Webinar replay – Cool Intelligence Means No Warm Shelves

We recently presented “No Warm Shelves: the continuous performance revolution in commercial refrigeration,” a webinar hosted by Red Rock Branding. As World Refrigeration Day reminds everyone to consider the topic of “Cool Intelligence,” we are pleased to share the recording and slide deck.

No warm shelves – Lessons learned

The No Warm Shelves webinar attracted attendees from various parts of the industry, including Chris Gray from The ACHR News. In an article entitled 7 things to Know About Data-Driven Commercial Refrigeration Management he helpfully summarized the key points that decision-makers in commercial refrigeration management most need to understand. 

Here they are, timestamped for easy cross-referencing with the recording: 

• Addressing legacy systems (20:10)
• Different leak detection methods have their uses. (6:30)
• Event-based versus pattern-based awareness (8:18)
• A shift from reactive to proactive maintenance (4:39)
• Continuous visibility equates to savings (10:40)
• Regulations demand sustainability (11:50)
• Easing worker burnout is an issue for enterprises. (14:06)

Facilities management focused Q&A

Questions posed during the Q&A came mostly from a facility management perspective. We also reviewed key aspects of our Automatic Leak Detection technology, and how continuous visibility sits within the broader ecosystem of industry partners and complementary solutions. 

Here is a recap:

Q1: What do you see as the top issues Facilities Managers in the US face today in terms of commercial refrigeration management?  

A1: Generally speaking, facilities managers are challenged to select an appropriate automatic leak detection (ALD) system for their unique portfolio of stores. In the US and particularly in the Northeast, we frequently encounter legacy facilities that include a number of refrigeration installations within stores acquired by consolidation and acquisition. As a result, different kinds of systems may often be combined within the same portfolio.

This pattern presents a management challenge because: 

1. The capital investment required to overhaul legacy facilities to a standard is extremely expensive and time-consuming. 
2. Most FMs are tasked with optimizing these diverse, older systems at the lowest costs possible. 

Matelex has decades of experience with just this issue, gathered across Europe and now applied in the US. What’s important and relevant is that the PolarBox sensing system combined with PolarVisor web app for continuous visibility monitors the entire refrigeration system and not just a specific area of a store. 

Q2: How do you make the case to your team that an indirect ALD system is needed before a problem occurs? 

A2: This question is one of the reasons we created our Impact Simulator, because it enables the facilities team to run different scenarios and then share the information about cost savings and carbon footprint with other parts of the enterprise. By inviting colleagues and supervisors into a shared reality, decision-making becomes simpler and more data-driven. 

TECH CHECK

• How sensitive is the mechanism for detecting low refrigerant levels? We have a Case Study from Europe, where we specifically tested that in the field. Starting with a calibrated 100% charge, we decreased the refrigerant level at a precisely measured pace. The alarm sounded when just 4.2% of the refrigerant was removed. This is extremely sensitive. Most regulations cite 10% as the level in need of correction, so we are positioning facilities to perform well within that standard. 
• We also tested the early detection of refrigerant leaks using the PolarBox algorithm versus traditional methods (direct leak detection). The benefits are significant, with nearly 80% savings in refrigerant, as shown in the table below

Caption: Facilities report a 79% reduction in refrigerant refills when using indirect ALD compared to traditional methods. LINK IMAGE TO THIS: https://fineeng.eu/behind-the-machine-what-innovative-features-do-matelexs-products-have/

• Is it possible to receive email or text message alerts in the event of a leak?
  • YES – PolarVisor alarms are adjustable so you can set a threshold for when you want to be notified. Alarm fatigue is very real. You can also specify multiple members of a team to be notified. 
  • Low Level Alarms refer to a system’s refrigerant level. This can either be due to a leak or to undercharging practices, which we discourage since it degrades the equipment and leads to higher energy use and associated costs. 
  • Leak Alarms refer to abnormal system behavior indicating that refrigerant is escaping from the system.

• Once monitoring indicates a system is losing refrigerant, how do you find the exact location of the leak?
  • Continuous monitoring and portable leak detection serve two different but complementary purposes. Direct detection such as room controllers alone are not sufficient. A two-step approach allows you to search for leaks when you confidently know they exist. 
  • PolarVisor continuously monitors refrigerant levels and system performance, providing early visibility when a system begins losing refrigerant. That allows facility teams to identify which system requires attention and prioritize maintenance before a small issue becomes a larger problem.
  • From there, technicians follow their standard diagnostic process using portable electronic leak detectors—often called “sniffers”—to pinpoint the exact location of the leak. These handheld tools use a variety of sensing technologies to locate refrigerants escaping from the system.
  • Together, continuous monitoring and portable leak detection create a more efficient maintenance workflow: monitoring identifies when and where to investigate, while handheld leak detectors identify exactly where the repair is needed.

Good News! We have a case study coming out showing how Direct and Indirect systems work together as a comprehensive and effective set of checks and balances, sharing the user experience from a New York grocery Store chain. 

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